La Marque punter Mike Parker (48) scrambles for the ball as the bad...

WO-S defensive back Deionte Thompson, 6, swats the ball away from Colombia wide receiver David Rodrquez, 20, during the West Orange-Stark High School Class 3A Division II second round playoff game against Columbia High School at the Ray Maddry Stadium in Channelview on November, 23, 2012.
Photo taken:
Randy Edwards/The Enterprise

WO-S defensive back Deionte Thompson, 6, swats the ball away from...

West Orange-Stark defensive back J Marcus Rhodes, right, forces an incomplete pass during the Class 3A Division II playoff game against Cleveland Friday at the Beaumont ISD Thomas Center. (Matt Billiot/Special to the Enterprise)

West Orange-Stark defensive back J Marcus Rhodes, right, forces an...

West Orange-Stark s Abear Simien, left, is tackled by Donte Dixon, No. 5, after a catch during the Class 3A Division II playoff game against Cleveland Friday at the Beaumont ISD Thomas Center. (Matt Billiot/Special to the Enterprise)

West Orange-Stark s Abear Simien, left, is tackled by Donte Dixon,...

Mustang #35, Abear Simien, center, barrels his way through the Tiger defense. The Silsbee High School Tigers hosted the West Orange-Stark High School Mustangs Friday night November 9, 2012 at Tiger stadium in Silsbee. This is a District 21-3A game, and both teams were undefeated in district play going into the game.
At the half, the Mustangs are up 13-12. Dave Ryan/The Enterprise
Photo: Dave Ryan

Mike Jackson's La Marque team learned the hard way that there is no room for error against the state's top-ranked Class 3A team. "We're a pretty darn good ballclub and we almost would have had to play a perfect game - and we didn't," the La Marque coach said in reference to La Marque's 31-20 loss to Navasota last week, in which his team committed three turnovers and 11 penalties.

Jackson and coaches within Navasota's district, 18-3A, agree, the key to No. 4 West Orange-Stark (13-0) defeating No.1 Navasota (13-0) at 7 p.m. Friday in a 3A Division II state quarterfinal playoff game at Turner Stadium in Humble is playing mistake-free football.

"If a team turns the ball over against Navasota, they do a great job taking advantage of that," Caldwell (District 18-3A) coach Kenneth Gilchrist said. "In order to beat Navasota, or for Navasota to beat WO-S, it's going to be the team that makes the fewest mistakes."

That was the difference in Navasota's win last week. The Rattlers' first score came after a

La Marque high snap on a punt attempt gave the Navasota offense a short field to work with.

Midway through the third quarter another La Marque snap on a punt attempt sailed into their own end zone and was recovered by Navasota for the touchdown.

A 72-yard touchdown on La Marque's final drive that was nullified due to a holding penalty only added to the list of critical miscues.

"(Navasota is) a good team in the fact that we had not had a turnover since week eight and they forced us into three," Jackson said. "You can say part of that's us - and it is - but part of that is you don't take credit away from the other team. Part of that is a good team forcing you to make mistakes."

WO-S has been more causing turnovers than it commits, as evident by the Mustangs' plus-six turnover margin.

The Mustangs have fumbled 24 times, 11 of which have been recovered by the opposition, but have limited mistakes in the air with senior quarterback Jimmy Salter throwing just two interceptions.

Last week against Lorena, WO-S was hurt by penalties early on, drawing seven flags for 65 yards by game's end. On the season, WO-S has averaged 6.2 penalties-a-game.